Rick Pitino, who coached one of the greatest college basketball teams ever in the 1995-96 Kentucky Wildcats, says this year's incarnation of the Duke Blue Devils could rival his historic club.

That Kentucky club featured eight future NBA players and had Nazr Mohamed as its 13th man.

"They've got a fifth-year guy (Amile Jefferson) who's a terrific rebounder and basketball player and they've got great shooting, great coaching and a great system," Pitino told Jon Rothstein on his Podcast. "They've got it all. They're very deep and they've got two of the best in Jayson Tatum and Harry Giles - the one-and-two ranked high school players in the nation. They're as good of a team as I've seen in the modern era."

Duke is the preseason No. 1 in most polls and is the Vegas pick to cut down the nets in April in Glendale, Arizona.

Meantime, former Duke and current Knicks big man Marshall Plumlee told me that this Duke team could be "special." Plumlee worked out this summer with the Blue Devils, including Giles and Tatum.

"They're going to be something special and I think the potential to be one of the very special Duke teams and that says something because there have been so many really special Duke teams so I couldn't be more excited for the Duke program," he said at Knicks training camp at West Point. "I'm proud of the position they put themselves in this season."

Asked specifically what he saw from Giles and Tatum, Plumlee said: "I think you see guys that are not only extremely talented and athletic but they're also mature for their age, mature for their position and that goes a long way at Duke because Coach K likes smart, intelligent players . I think they're going to show that they're all those things."

Speaking of Kentucky, much has been made of the idea that Coach K has taken a page out of John Calipari's book by recruiting more one-and-done-type players in recent years such as Jabari Parker, Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow, Tyus Jones and Brandon Ingram

"I never got the impression that Coach specifically went after one-and-dones, he just tries to get the best pieces to make the best team for each coming year," Plumlee said. "That being said, he's never going to compromise our attitude and Duke's standards so if a guy's talented enough but they don't have a good attitude he won't recruit him. He's doing what he's always done but it just so happens lately that there've been a lot of guys with great attitudes that are highly talented that want to be part of the Duke program."

Plumlee also believes Duke understands it can win a national championship this season.

"Yeah, just as they view every year as a chance to win a championship but this year they just have so much depth it's really exciting for them," Plumlee said. "They're probably in one of the more exciting positions starting a season than I can think of in recent memory."

Duke Favorite to Win NCAA Title, Grayson Allen to Win Player of the Year

Duke is the favorite to win the NCAA championship and junior guard Grayson Allen is favored to win AP National Player of the Year honors, according to Bovada.lv.

Led by Allen and a crew of stud freshmen including Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles, Frank Jackson and Marques Bolden, Duke faces odds of 4/1 to win the national championship in Glendale, Az. Kentucky follows at 15/2 with Kansas and reigning NCAA champion Villanova at 10/1. Arizona, which also has several elite freshmen in Kobi Simmons and Rawle Alkins, is next at 14/1.

Allen, who leads the AP odds at 6/1, opted to return to Duke for his junior season after he could have declared for the NBA Draft last year. He's currently projected at No. 25 by DraftExpress.com.

How Basketball Helped St. John's Tariq Owens Cope With the Loss of His Mother

While his mother was enduring a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer, Tariq Owens was just a young teenager growing up Odenton, Md.

His daily routine involved sitting by Cassandra Owens' bedside and trying to comfort her, but he withdrew into himself.

"Every day I used to come home from school, I'd drop my book bag by the door, go upstairs and just sit in the room," Owens, a 6-foot-11 redshirt sophomore forward who was born in New York City and now plays at St. John's, said Thursday. "Most times she'd be asleep by the time I got home or I'd just be sitting in the room with a chair, watching TV and wait for her to wake up."

Recruiting Roundup: Weekend Visits and Tidbits

Here's a look towards this weekend's recruiting visits and other news. Some visits will depend on the status of Hurricane Matthew. This list will be updated throughout the weekend.

**Brandon Randolph, the 6-foot-6 shooting guard from the Westtown (PA) School and the PSA Cardinals, hits Arizona Thursday night and begins his official on Friday, a source said. A tremendous scorer and high-quality kid, Randolph has already visited Oregon and Syracuse, and is also considering Wake Forest. He also had a home visit with Indiana.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - June 15, 2016: NBPA Top 100 Camp at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, VA. (Photo by Kelly Kline/Under Armour) (Kelly Kline)

HILLSIDE, N.J. -- Nick Richards, the 6-foot-11 big man from St. Patrick's High School, enjoyed his official visit to Kentucky this past weekend and will return to the campus in two weeks for Big Blue Madness.

Richards also plans to visit Arizona and Syracuse in the coming weeks as he heads toward a college decision.

"[Kentucky] was cool, I liked it," Richards told me Tuesday before an open gym. "I got to watch two practices and it was pretty fun. I got to talk to talk to all the coaches, they showed a lot of interest in me. It was a fun visit overall."

Keith Williams to Cincinnati

Ranked the No. 38 shooting guard in the Class of 2017 by 247Sports.com, Williams averaged 15 points and 4.3 rebounds this summer with New Heights. Dayton and Oklahoma State were also in the mix.

"It felt like it was the perfect fit for me," Williams said. "My playing style fits how they operate, playing hard, tough and gritty defense. And also the coaching staff are some great guys. Our relationship was very good. I felt comfortable and they prioritized me throughout the whole spring, building a great relationship with me and my parents and coaches."

Walter Whyte to Boston University

By Jacob Polacheck | Oct 5, 2016 | 7:52AM

Walter Whyte, the 6-foot-5 small forward from St. Luke's (CT) School and the PSA Cardinals, announced his commitment to Boston University on Tuesday.

Whyte becomes the first commit in coach Joe Jones' 2017 class. Ranked the No. 41 small forward by 247Sports.com, he took his official visit to Boston University last month (Sept. 23) and had plans to visit Davidson in October. Whyte held offers from schools such as Davidson, Northeastern, Pennsylvania, Yale, among others.

"I have an amazing relationship with Coach Jones and he has the faith and confidence in me as a player to step in and make an immediate impact as a freshman." Whyte said.

Ben Simmons Has Surgery on Foot, No Timetable on Return

The Philadelphia 76ers announced Tuesday that forward Ben Simmons underwent successful surgery to repair an acute Jones fracture of the fifth metatarsal of his right foot. Simmons, the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft out of LSU, suffered the injury when he rolled his ankle after landing on the foot of another player during a 76ers team scrimmage on September 30, 2016.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Martin O'Malley, Associate Attending Orthopaedic Surgeon and Fellowship Director of the Foot and Ankle Service at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

Simmons' rehabilitation will fall under the supervision of Sixers Director of Performance Research and Development Dr. David T. Martin.

Following Kansas Visit, Billy Preston Adds Syracuse Offer

Following an official visit to Kansas over the weekend, Billy Preston, the 6-foot-10 Class of 2017 forward from Oak Hill Academy (VA), picked up a scholarship offer from Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim on Monday.

Boeheim visited Preston at Oak Hill, the powerhouse that also produced former Syracuse and current Knicks star Carmelo Anthony.

"He's [a] top-5 [player] in the country, I don't care what scouting services say," Oak Hill coach Steve Smith said of Preston. "Nobody has his skill level and upside at 6-9. He can score off the bounce, get to the rim, shoot the three, and pass and handle like a guard."

Read More

Share:

Jordan Nwora Cuts to 12, Will Visit Georgia Tech

Jordan Nwora, the 6-foot-7 Class of 2017 small forward from Vermont Academy and the NY Rens, has trimmed his list to 12 schools and will take an official visit to Georgia Tech this weekend, his father told me.

Kentucky Offers 2018 Point Guard Immanuel Quickley

Kentucky coach John Calipari extended an offer to Class of 2018 point guard Immanuel Quickley during a visit to see Quickley on Monday.

The 6-foot-3 Quickley out of John Carroll (MD) just came off an unofficial visits to Kansas and still has visits planned to Miami (Oct 8-9), Kentucky (Oct 14), Louisville (Oct 15), Virginia (Oct 22) and Duke (Oct 28) for the next four weeks.

Duke Freshman Harry Giles Out Six Weeks

Duke freshman forward Harry Giles underwent a left knee arthroscopy on Monday and is expected to be out six weeks, the team announced.

"We're very pleased with the outcome of today's procedure," head coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a statement. "This is the right step for Harry at the moment as it will help him be 100 percent going forward. Harry has done a tremendous job in rehabilitation over the last year and I'm sure he'll continue to do the same after this procedure."

The 6-foot-11 Giles is part of Duke's heralded freshmen class that also includes fellow forwards Jayson Tatum and Marques Bolden.

By Jacob Polacheck | Oct 2, 2016 | 4:44PM

Markese Jacobs, a 5-foot-10, 155 pound Class of 2019 point uard from Chicago (IL) Academy, announced his commitment to Kansas on Sunday after visiting for "Late Night in the Phog."

"Being able to watch Late Night, watching them practice and seeing how they are with their guards and how hard they get on them and want to make them better, that impressed me," Jacobs told the Chicago Sun-Times. "It's all about basketball here. You can see and feel the passion."

He added: "This has always been a dream school for me growing up. So when there is chance to have your dream, you take it. There was no reason to wait."

Jamir Moultrie Adds Georgetown Visit, Targeting Late October Decision

Jamir Moultrie, a Class of 2017 point guard out of District Heights (MD) Bishop McNamara, has added a planned official visit to Georgetown for later this month and is targeting a late-October decision.

"Georgetown's message was basically Coach [John] Thompson [III] was impressed with Jamir's ability to convert into more of a set-up point guard, get guys involved," his father Jeran Moultrie said by phone. "He saw him a few times his freshman and sophomore year and at that time he was a big-time scorer but he was always just questioning to see if in addition to getting his own buckets, he could create for others.

Ben Simmons has a broken bone in his right foot and the No. 1 overall pick could miss up to 8 weeks, according to initial reports.

That would put his return in late November.

Simmons was injured Friday during the final training camp scrimmage at Stockton University in New Jersey. The Sixers said Simmons rolled an ankle, and X-rays and an MRI revealed a fractured fifth metatarsal bone.

Read More

Share:

At West Point, Noah, Plumlee Reveal Knicks' Split Opinions on Role of Military

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- The Knicks' decision to hold training camp at West Point for a third straight year has inspired split opinions within the team on matters related to current events.

Veteran Joakim Noah came out Friday and announced he had skipped a team dinner with Cadets on Thursday night because he's opposed to war, while rookie Marshall Plumlee, a member of the Army reserves, told me he thinks it was a great idea to hold camp at West Point.

"It's hard for me a little bit," Noah said Friday afternoon, according to Newsday. "I have a lot of respect for the kids who are out here fighting. But it's hard for me to understand why we have to go to war, why kids have to kill kids around the world? So I have mixed feelings about being here.

Duke Guys Thomas, Plumlee Looking to Help Knicks' Revamped Front Line

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Lance Thomas knows all about the Plumlee family, having played alongside Miles and Mason Plumlee on the 2009-10 Duke team that won an NCAA championship.

Now the youngest Plumlee, 7-foot Marshall, is Thomas' teammate with the Knicks as both players look to fortify a revamped front line highlighted by the signing of free agent Joakim Noah.

"Yeah, I knew Marshall, I remember when Marshall was in high school," the 6-8 Thomas told me Thursday at Knicks' training camp at West Point. "He was coming to visit his brothers, who I played with, Miles and Mason. It's very good to have him here."

A parade of high-major coaches has come through Putnam (CT) Science Academy in recent weeks to recruit Hamidou Diallo, maybe the most explosive player in the Class of 2017.

UConn's Kevin Ollie, UNLV's Marvin Menzies and Arizona's Sean Miller were all in this week, while Indiana's Tom Crean, Kentucky's John Calipari, Kansas' Bill Self and assistants from Syracuse and Arizona State have all been through recently.

The 6-foot-6 Queens, N.Y., native has yet to set any official visits, but will take an unofficial visit to Syracuse this weekend, a source said.

Despite No Guaranteed Deal, Ron Baker Hoping to Land Roster Spot With Knicks

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- When Ron Baker first signed with the Knicks this summer, he was hoping to pair up with his former Wichita State teammate Cleanthony Early, the team's second-round draft pick in 2014.

"We played two years together at Wichita State," Baker told me Thursday at Knicks training camp at West Point. "At first we thought we both were going to be here."

But after Early was shot in the right leg during an attack in Queens last December, the Knicks did not bring him into training camp this year and he is currently out of the NBA.

St. John's Elevates Mitch Richmond to Assistant Coach

St. John's announced Thursday that Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Mitch Richmond has been elevated to assistant coach under head coach Chris Mullin.

Richmond, a six-time NBA All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection, enters his second season with the program, previously serving as a special assistant for the 2015-16 campaign. He joins fellow assistants Matt Abdelmassih and Greg St. Jean.

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Joakim Noah isn't afraid to mix it up with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers -- and Carmelo Anthony thinks that's exactly what the Knicks will need to compete with the NBA champions.

Coincidentally enough, the Knicks will open the regular season in Cleveland on Oct. 25 when the Cavs will be feted with their NBA championship rings.

"You ain't got to worry about that with Joakim, I mean he gonna bring it," Anthony said Wednesday after the first day of training camp at West Point, which was also Noah's first practice with the team after he became the father of a baby girl on Tuesday.

2017 Point Guard Jamir Moultrie Closing in on Decision

Jamir Moultrie, a Class of 2017 point guard out of District Heights (MD) Bishop McNamara, is focusing on three schools and is targeting a decision next month, his father said.

The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Moultrie is focusing on Georgia, La Salle and Monmouth, where he took an official visit this past weekend, and could decide soon after his Oct. 14 official visit to Georgia.

"That's their homecoming weekend so we'll go down and visit for that and hopefully not too long after that we'll make a decision," Jeran Moultrie said by phone. "Things kind of boil down right now to La Salle, Monmouth and Georgia."

Wabissa Bede to Virginia Tech

Wabissa Bede, the 6-foot-1 point guard from Cushing (MA) Academy and the Mass Rivals AAU program, committed to Virginia Tech, giving coach Buzz Williams a point guard of the future.

Ranked the No. 16 point guard in the Class of 2017 by 247Sports.com, Bede also considered Butler, LaSalle, Minnesota and UMass.

"I love coach [Buzz] Williams," he told Scout.com before his official visit this weekend. "[He] reminds me of Vin [Mass Rivals coach Vin Pastore]. He's tough with a soft heart. He believes in me a lot and I can play at that level and produce there. Also they've been recruiting me a lot this summer."

Billy Preston Opens Up Recruitment (UPDATED)

Billy Preston, the 6-foot-10 Class of 2017 forward from Oak Hill Academy (VA), has opted to open up his recruitment.

Preston had been focusing on Kansas, USC and Maryland, and he's slated to take an official visit to Kansas this weekend for "Late Night in the Phog."

"After talking with my family and starting my senior year at Oak Hill Academy, I have decided to open my recruitment up and explore what schools would best fit for me as a student-athlete," Preston said. "I am looking forward to taking official visits and have no time table for making my final decision."

Read More

Share:

Top 25 Recruiting Rankings Without Kentucky, Duke and Kansas? Wait, There's Still Plenty of Time

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - June 15, 2016: NBPA Top 100 Camp at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, VA. (Photo by Kelly Kline/Under Armour) (Kelly Kline)

This figures to be another busy week for Nick Richards and his teammates at St. Patrick's High School in New Jersey.

Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim came in on Tuesday to see the 6-foot-11 Richards and have a home visit, while Arizona coach Sean Miller is expected Wednesday.

"I'm considering every school," Richards told me last week, referring to a group that includes Kentucky, Indiana, UConn, Syracuse and Arizona.

Read More

Share:

At NBA media day, concern for country over concern for team

By Brian Mahoney / AP | Sep 27, 2016 | 9:08AM

Share:

NEW YORK (AP) - NBA players aren't just worried about their teams as they start a new season.

They're concerned for their country.

The usual basketball clichés that dominate media days gave way to serious talk about social injustice and violence in communities, with players wanting to be involved in finding solutions but acknowledging they don't know yet how.

Carmelo Anthony Has 'No Idea' What Type of Offense The Knicks Will Run

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- The Knicks are set to open training camp on Tuesday, but don't ask Carmelo Anthony what type of offense the team will run under first-year coach Jeff Hornacek.

"I honestly don't know what this offense is going to be," Anthony said Monday at Knicks' Media Day. "I think everybody is speculating something. I honestly don't know. I haven't talked to Jeff about what type of offense we're gonna run, what we're going to be doing."

Hornacek is on record saying the triangle "will be part of our offense." He was hired by President Phil Jackson in part because of his familiarity with the triangle offense from playing for former Phoenix Suns coach Cotton Fitzsimmons, a disciple of triangle founder Tex Winter.

Read More

Share:

Derrick Rose Says He Hasn't Been Contacted by Police, Will be 'Proven Innocent' in Sexual Assault Case

Derrick Rose speaks during a news conference at Madison Square Garden, Friday, June 24, 2016 in New York. The Knicks introduced Derrick Rose, the former NBA MVP they acquired from the Chicago Bulls. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Mary Altaffer/AP)

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- With his civil trial for sexual assault set to begin Oct. 4, Knicks point guard Derrick Rose says he hasn't been contacted by the police and expects to be "proven innocent."

"As far as the trial, that's something I can't think about," Rose said Monday at Knicks' Media Day. "It's not true, I will be proven innocent and I haven't been thinking about it. I'm letting my [legal] team handle it."

USA Today reported Monday that Los Angeles police continue to investigate Rose over the allegations, according to federal court records.